


Candygram Wishes

by ThatEsqCrush



Series: Christmas One True Pairing Challenge [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Holidays, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:06:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatEsqCrush/pseuds/ThatEsqCrush
Summary: Prompt #1 (Candycanes) from the @thefanficfaerie Christmas OTP challenge.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Reader, Rafael Barba/You
Series: Christmas One True Pairing Challenge [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816486
Kudos: 16





	Candygram Wishes

It started out by happenstance.

You were studying for your upcoming bar examination. A career change late in life; a second act, if you will. But bills were like clockwork and they came every 30-days. So when your friend Sonny, who was now a lawyer in his own right, said that his former boss needed a replacement nanny, you jumped at the chance. The job was straightforward and provided an opportunity for you to also squeeze in some extra study time while making some money.

And that’s exactly what you were doing tonight.

“Noah, did you finish your math homework?” you called out as you loaded Olivia’s dishwasher.

“Yes,” Noah replied walking in. A bright smile appeared on his face. “Can I show you the new moves I learned from dance school?”

“Well, I was going to make some hot chocolate before bed…” your voice trailed before sighing. “But now I don’t know if I should give you so much sugar if you’re going to be dancing,” you continued, teasing

.  
“Oh please, please! I want hot chocolate!” Noah exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly, before spinning in a pirouette.

“Okay, okay,” you laughed. You reached into a cabinet and pulled out a frothing pot. “Go get changed Fred Astaire.”

Noah skipped out of the kitchen as you began making the hot chocolate. As the milk warmed, you raided the pantry for hot chocolate fixings. You found marshmallows, caramel sauce, chocolate chips, crushed sea salt, and three unopened boxes of candy canes. You then checked the refrigerator and found a canister of whip cream. You gathered your materials for the hot chocolate bar you were creating and set them on the table.You used the corner of your nail to pop the plastic open on one of the candy cane packages. You took one out to suck on while you stirred the cocoa powder into the milk.

Noah burst back in. “Y/N, those are for my candygrams for school!”

You cocked your head and raised your brow. “Candygram? What’s a candygram?”

“I’m selling them for $1.00. You give a candy cane to whomever and you write a note that goes with it,” Noah explained.

“Okay, well I’ll give you the $1.00. I just thought they would be good to put in our hot chocolate. But we have lots of other stuff to put in them.”

A staccato knock on the apartment door interrupted your conversation. You shut off the stove and wiped your hands on the dish towel that hung off the oven door handle. You looked at Noah. “Expecting anyone?” 

Noah shook his head and you made your way towards the door. You peeked through the peephole and staring back was a very handsome man outfitted in a camel coat and dark brown leather gloves. He had a briefcase in one hand and a stack of red-weld folders in the other.

Cautiously still, you opened the door and poked out your head. “May I help you?”

“Is Liv around? I have these files for her,” the man replied, giving you a once over.

“And you are?” you asked, your eyes narrowing.

“Uncle Rafa! Uncle Rafa!” Noah squeezed and pushed past you. You stepped back, and opened the door slightly wider.

“Hi Noah,” Rafael put down his briefcase and crouched to give Noah a hug.

“Come inside, Y/N is making hot chocolate,” Noah exclaimed and began pulling Rafael towards the apartment.

As Rafael walked past you, you caught a waft of his cologne. It was woodsy and musky, and you closed your eyes taking in the scent. ‘It should be illegal to smell that good.’ You thought as you shut the door behind you and followed Rafael and Noah to the kitchen.

“I’m Y/N - Liv’s new nanny,” you introduced yourself, extending your hand.

“Pardon me. Rafael Barba,” Rafael greeted. He removed his glove and extending his hand. You shook it and gave him a demure smile. “Pleasure to meet you.”

You tried to ignore the butterflies in your stomach. Rafael was strikingly handsome with piercing green eyes. His dark coiffed hair was peppered with grey that gave him a distinguished appearance and suddenly you knew why your own mother had a thing for Richard Gere in the ‘90’s.

“Care for some hot chocolate? Coffee, or water, or something else?” 

“No thanks,” Rafael replied. “I just wanted to drop these files off for Liv. I didn’t think she was on tonight.”

“She got a last minute call,” you replied. You poured some hot chocolate in a mug and blew on it before placing it front of Noah, who was sitting. You smiled as he squirted some whip cream onto his drink.

“Well, I won’t keep you,” Rafael replied, putting his glove back on. “I’ll text Liv that I came by.”

“Uncle Rafa, stay,” Noah requested. “Y/N, Uncle Rafael is a lawyer, just like you.” Rafael cocked his head at you. 

You felt your cheeks flush and you shook your head. “Not a lawyer. Yet. Studying for the bar.”

“Where did you go?” Rafael asked, a smile twitching on his lips.

“Fordham,” you replied. “You?”

“Harvard.”

“Impressive,” you quipped, with a raised brow. You found yourself subconsciously smoothing over your clothes.

“Uncle Sonny went to Fordham,” Noah commented, now sporting a whipped cream mustache.

You turned to Noah. “That’s right, that’s how I met Sonny.” Turning back to Rafael, you continued. “You’re more than welcome to stay but don’t feel obligated if you have other places to be.”

“I actually do have to go,” Rafael replied and you found yourself disappointed.

“I’m sure you have someone waiting for you at home,” you blurted out and then felt your cheeks redden at your social faux pas. In your head, you banged your head against Liv’s wall repeatedly.

“Uncle Rafa isn’t married!” Noah giggled. “Mom says he works too much.”

Rafael felt his own cheeks flush and he coughed, trying to clear his throat. ‘Out of the mouth of babes… or Olivia,’ he thought. “Um something like that. I just have to prep for my case tomorrow. It was nice meeting you.”

You moved to walk Rafael out, but he held up his hand. “Don’t trouble yourself. Noah, pórtate bien. Goodnight.”

Later that night, when you were in the confines of your own apartment, you looked up Rafael Barba. And you fell down the rabbit hole that was Google, learning all about the amazing things this do-gooder of a man had accomplished. And he was handsome to boot. He was quite the package. In an instant, a crush was sparked.

Sometimes you dropped off Noah at the precinct. On more than one occasion, Rafael was there, discussing cases with the squad. Sometimes he gave you a head nod of acknowledgement, sometimes you and he would engage in small talk about your studying or about law school. Sometimes Sonny was there and would teasingly regale with law school horror stories.

You needed help with studying; Sonny was too busy with Hadid and getting his footing in the DA’s office. You thought about asking Rafael for tips on studying but you never dared to ask.

And at night when you were all alone, you would indulge in a fantasy which would revolve around Rafael helping you go through flash cards. It would eventually take a dangerously naughty turn with the end result of the two of you in between the sheets.  
***

Rafael knocked on Liv’s apartment door. Ever since he met you that first night when he went to drop off the files, he couldn’t stop thinking about you. He always counted his good fortune on the days he got to see you at the squad room.

When the door opened to Liv, Rafael was somewhat disappointed. Liv didn’t miss a beat and saw the flash of disappointment across his face when it registered you weren’t at the sort. She raised a brow, and smirked. “You just missed her.”

“What are you talking about?” Rafael asked as he made his way in.

“Rafael, you may be a lawyer, but I’m a cop. It is my job to read people. And I know when people are lying,” Olivia continued as she shut her door. “I know you like Y/N.”

“Y/N and I are just friendly. That’s all,” Rafael replied, removing his coat. 

Liv walked into her kitchen. “I’m going to get some wine. Want some?”

“Please.”

Liv walked back out with two glasses of red wine. She handed a glass to Rafael and joined him on the couch. “I’ve watched you and Y/N interact. She’s single in case you wanted to know. And I think she likes you too.”

Rafael took a sip of the wine. “I don’t know.”

“This job - you give and you give and you give. And it also takes from you. I know. I’ve been there. Think about it. Don’t you think you deserve to be happy?” Olivia questioned.

Rafael swallowed a large gulp of wine, unsure as to how to reply.  
***

“Uncle Rafa, uncle Rafa!” Noah exclaimed as he burst through the ADA’s door. The curly haired boy ran towards Rafael’s desk, throwing his coat and book bag onto the floor in process.

“Noah!” Rafael greeted. “Where is your mom?”

“Talking to Carmen. I have a candygram for you.”

“For me? Who’d send me a candygram?” Rafael questioned. Noah dragged his book bag over and unzipped his bag and dumped the contents onto the floor. Pencils scattered about song with folders, notebooks and various textbooks. Among the pile was a single candy cane, taped against a folded note.

Noah handed the candy cane to Rafael. Rafael opened it surreptitiously in order to avoid seeming too eager.

Call her. 917-555-6859 xo, Liv.

At that moment, Liv walked in. “See you got my note.”

“Clever, Liv. We’ll see,” Rafael replied, tossing the candycane onto his desk. 

“She’s off tonight,” Liv added for good measure.

“I said we’ll see.”  
****

You used your teeth to remove the cork from the already opened wine bottle. It had begun to snow; white flurries fluttered against your windowpane and the wind howled fiercely. You dropped to the floor and sat against your couch, one leg outstretched and one pressed against your chest. Study materials decorated your floor.

You felt defeated. The exam was less than a month away and you didn’t feel anymore ready or prepared. You figured you’d give it another hour before calling it a night, when your phone began to buzz. You didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

“Hi, Y/N, it’s Rafael Barba. Liv gave me your phone number.”

“Why would she — um, is everything okay?”

From the other line, Rafael could hear the concern in your voice and he felt his heart race. “Everything is fine. I just wanted to see if you were busy and maybe… perhaps… grab dinner.”

You felt your cheeks pink and your stomach fluttered. “I’d like that.”

“What are you up to tonight?” Rafael pressed.

“I’m free tonight.” After a beat, you continued, looking at your study materials. “It would beat studying.”

“I could bring dinner and we could go through it together,” Rafael offered. You agreed, requested an hour and rattled off your address. “Or we could just do dinner; whatever.”

You rattled off your address and requested an hour, to which Rafael agreed. 

Rafael spun the candy cane between his thumb and index finger. He made sure to save your number in his phone, before placing an order of Chinese to pick up. He unwrapped the peppermint candy before placing it in his mouth. A smile twitched on his lips, and he let himself smile. 

***  
You smiled as you disconnected, before rushing to change. You couldn’t wait to see what was to come.

FIN


End file.
